h many millions of dollars. It was these papers that
Hardley was after. He may have thought he could get the gold, too, but
he wanted most these oil shares. Boys, we've found the fortune anyhow,
in spite of the fellows who looted the gold boxes!"

There was no doubt about it. There were all the papers--the
certificates of shares, the partnership agreement and other
documents--to show that Mary's uncle was a rich man. The wreck of the
Pandora held a fortune after all.

"How do you account for Hardley's acts?" asked Ned of his chum.

"Well, there are several explanations. I think we may be certain that
he knew these papers were aboard the Pandora, for he must have
intrusted them to the purser himself when he made a trip on the ship.
When she sank he had not time to get them to take with him."

"He either knew then, or found out later, that the vessel carried, or
was supposed to carry, a large amount of gold. He may have been
honestly mistaken in thinking it was two millions. In any case he was
playing safe, for he only promised me half if the treasure was found.
He could have claimed this box as his property, and that is probably
what he was after from the beginning. He was using me as a cat's paw,
so to speak."

"Well, you beat him to it," observed Ned.

"Bless my necktie, I should say so!" agreed Mr. Damon. "Do you think he
really expected to find the gold?"

"Either that or the papers," was Tom's answer. "He must have engaged
the vessel and the grappling apparatus, and, possibly, a diver, after
we set him ashore at St. Thomas. Well, we'll leave him to his own fun."

The M. N. 1 made good time back to her home port, nothing except a
terrific storm occurring to mark the voyage. And as she submerged when
that was on she did not feel it. After greeting his father, Tom lost
little time in going to Mary's house with the box of securities and
other papers.

"I want you to hand these to your uncle with my compliments," he said.
"I've got the Air Scout out in the meadow. We'll go over in that. How
is Mr. Keith?"

"Not very well," Mary answered, after she had got over her surprise at
seeing Tom. "But this good news will restore him, I think."

And it certainly was a great tonic. Mr. Keith could hardly believe the
story that Mary and Tom jointly told him. But at length he grasped the
idea that he was a wealthy man again, and he exclaimed:

"Tom Swift, I'm going to share half with you!"

"Oh, no," retorted the youn